Ro Khanna Unveils 7-Point AI Plan as Gen Z Enthusiasm Falls to 22%

1 articles · Updated · Fortune · May 21

Khanna used a Suffolk University commencement speech to argue AI gains should not flow only to billionaires, saying graduates' fears about automation and a broken economy are being missed by older pro-AI voices.
Gallup data underscored that backlash: Gen Z excitement about AI fell from 36% to 22% in a year, while anger rose, even as hyperscalers committed $700 billion to AI infrastructure.
His February plan with Bernie Sanders would shift taxes from labor to capital, expand trade and technical schooling, and create a "Work for America" program offering federal jobs and reskilling as entry-level roles dry up.
Khanna also backed data-center growth but called for tighter rules on water use and data practices; a single facility can consume about 300,000 gallons a day, roughly the use of 1,000 households.
The broader pitch was a new social contract around AI wealth, lower education costs and stronger worker protections, with Khanna arguing fields such as healthcare and law could still add human-centered jobs.

Both tech giants and policymakers propose new AI social contracts. Can these competing visions truly benefit the public?

With AI automating thousands of jobs monthly, what practical skills can graduates learn now to secure their future?

As data centers drain local resources, how can communities protect themselves without hindering national technological progress?